Lighting attachment for sewing machines



March 25 1924. 1,488,233

DIEHL LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 5. '1921INVENTOR ATTORNEY iri-zo JERSEY.

FREDERICK DIEHL, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU-FACTURING COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH,

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW Lren'rme ATTACHMENT roia sawine MAemuEaApplication filed March 5, 1921. Serial No. 449,968.

of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLighting Attachments for Sewing Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawin s.

his invention relates to sewing machine lighting attachments and has toprovide a lighting attachment which is simple in construction andinexpensive to 15.

manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to pro Vide a lighting'attachmentwhich may be readily mountediupon a sewing machine in such a manner andposition as to effectively illuminate the work being stitched withoutproducing objectionable reflection of the light from the work andwithout casting objectionable shadows-of machine parts on the work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machinelighting attachment which, when in position on the machine, will give anabundant distribution of the li ht without objectionable glare.

A urther object of the invention is to provide a lighting attachment ofthe class described which will not be subjected to excessiveorobjectionable vibration when the sewin machine is in operation.

Stifi further, the invention has for an object to provide a lightingattachment which, when in working position on a sewing machine, will notinterfere with and need not be shifted or manipulated by the operator topermit the dropping of the sewing machine head within the cavity of theusua drop-head stand, or with the placing of the cover of a ortablehand-carrying case over the sewin ead.

The ObJGOtS' of the invention are attained by mounting an electriclamp-socket carrying a lamp-bulb and reflector upon and closely adjacenta supporting element adapted for attachment to the sewing machinegooseneck, preferably adjacent the bend of the latter, so that thelamp-bulb and its reflector will be supported horizontally closely inrear of'and a ongside the horizontal arm of the gooseneck at a positionbetween the needle-bar supporting sad and the standfor an object ard.The lamp-socket ma conveniently be supported, as indicated, by mountinit upon and in close proximity to a cover-p ate adapted to close theopening usually provided at the rear-of the bracket-arm of a sewingmachine for access to the mechanism within the arm. The use of anelongated arm for extending the li ht toward the sewing point is to beavoided as such arm will permit objectionable vibration of the light atthe free end thereof and will cause the needle-bar head or other partsat the free end of the gooseneck to cast objectionable shadows. Bymounting the lamp socket and bulb as described, they are permanentlypositioned horizontally closely in rear of and alongside the horizontalarm of the sewing machine gooseneck at a position well to one side ofthe vertical plane through the line of feed of the machine, whereby thelight will shine upon the work obliquely from the operators right, andthe casting of objectionable shadows upon the work by the presser-bar,resser-foot, needlebar supporting head or other parts carried by thesewing machine gooseneck or bracketarm, is avoided. Further, by solocating the light, objectionable reflection of the light from the'workinto the eyes of the operator In the accompanying drawings, 1 is aperspective view of my improved lighting attachment as mounted upon asewing machine. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same. Fig.3 is a perspective View of the special cover-plate used as a support forthe light.

In the accompanying drawings showing one embodiment of the invention, asewing machine head of usual construction is illustrated as mounted upona portable-base 1. The sewing machine frame comprises a flat bed 2 fromwhich rises the hollow bracketarm or goose-neck including the standard 3and horizontal member 3 head 4 in which are slidably mounted the usualpresser-bar 5 and reciprocating needle-bar 6 carrying, respectively, the

terminating in the resser-foot 7 and needle 8. Cooperating with thepresser-foot 7 to feed the work is the usual feed-dog 9. The needle 8cooperates with the usual loop-taker below the bed 2 to form stitches.Machines of this type are usuallydriven by a suitable motor attachmentwhich has been omitted from the illustration since it forms no part ofthe present invention. The sewing machine may, of course, be supportedand driven in any desired manner.

The hollow bracket-arm 3, 3' of a sewing machine of the type referred tois usually provided with an opening 10 permitting access to the workingparts mounted within the arm. This openin is customarily located at therearward si e of the bracket-arm and substantially at the bend of thelatter.

The present lighting attachment, in the embodiment illustrated,comprises a support in the form of a cover-plate 11 shaped to close theopening 10 and formed with an n per screw-hole 12 to receive the usualcoverplate thumb-screw 13. The electriclighting socket 14 isnon-adjustably secured to its support 11, in close proximity to thelatter, preferably by providing the cover-plate with a projection whichmay be in the form of an integral car 15 bent rearwardly so as to standin a vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the plate 11 proper.The car 15 may be formed with an aperture 16 to admit the nipple 17which is threaded into 'the cap 18 of the usual lighting socket 14.

The nipple 17 is preferably threaded at 19 to receive the insulatingbushing 2O for the lamp cord 21.

The socket 14 receives the lamp bulb 22, preferably of the elongatedtubular or cylindrical type and supports a suitable reflector 22 whichneed not entirely obscure the lamp-globe but may be so constructed as topermit a ready circulation of air and a gen erous distribution of thelight.

It will be observed that by the means described the lamp is permanentlyand substantially supported in a position closely in rear of andalongside the horizontal portion 3 of the bracket-arm and well to one,side of the needle-bar supporting head 4 and the vertical plane throughthe line of feed of the machine. The light from the lamp 22 will fallobliquely upon the work from the operators right and will illuminatethat edge of the presser-foot relative to which the edge of the work iscustomarily guided. This disposition of the light avoids the casting ofobjectionable shadows upon the work by machine parts carried by orforming a part of the bracket-arm. Also the lamp will not be subjectedto excessive vibration since it is rigidly mounted adjacent the standard3 or vertical member of the bracket-arm, rather than at the free end ofthe latter, and the socket 14 is very close to the point of sup ort ofthe attachment on the sewing mac ine frame. Further, the device ispermanently located within the vertical planes defined by the side andend edges of the bed 2 and within the external, rearwardly projectedoutline of the gooseneck, as viewed from the front of the ma chine,whereby such device does not interfere with and need not be shifted topermit the dropping of the head within the cavity of the usual drop-headcabinet, or with the placing of the cover of a hand-carrying case overthe head.

The plate 11 is-preferabl provided with a laterally extending stopug 23which is bent in from the edge of the cover-plate proper and is adaptedto strike externally the rim of the seat for the cover-plate and preventsagging of the lamp below its normal operative position.

The lamp is so located as to be substantially invisible to the operatorof the machine; the horizontalportion of the gooseneck effectivelyshielding the eyes of the operator from the glare of the lamp. As beforestated, this location of the lamp permits the use of a rather shallowreflector which need not so fully envelop the lamp globe as wouldotherwise be necessary if the reflector alone was depended upon toshield the eyes of the operator from glare. The. use of a shallowreflector is also desirable since it permits a ready circulation of airaround the lamp globe and avoids overheating. Further, it permits readyremoval and replacement of the lamp globe.

While it is desirable with certain types of sewing machines to use thecover-plate as a support for the light, it is to be understood that thesupporting element may assume other specific forms within/the scope andwithout a sacrifice of the advantagesof the invention, inits broaderaspects.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis- 1. The combination with a sewing machine frame having a bed andgooseneck including a standard and overhanging horizontal armterminating in a head, together with the usual stitch-forming andfeeding mechanisms, of an electric lighting device including a lamp-bulband lamp-socket directly mounted horizontally closely in rear of andalongside the horizontal member of the gooseneck and intermediate thestandard and head of the gooseneck, said socket. being supported by aconnection with said gooseneck.

2. The combination with a sewing machine frame'having a bed andgooseneck, together with the usual stitch-forming and feedingmechanisms, of a lighting device including an electric lamp-socket andlamp disposed horizontally closely in rear of and alongside thehorizontal member of the gooseneck and well to the gooseneck sideof theline of feed of the machine, and

memberof the goo supporting means connecting said socket to saidgooseneck adjacent the bend of the latter.

3. The combination with a sewing machine frame having a bed andgooseneck including a standard and horizontal arm terminating in a head,together with the usual stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, of alamp-support connected to said gooseneck adjacent the bend of thelatter, and an electric, lamp-socket and lamp-bulb non-adjustablyconnected to said support and permanently located horizontally closelyin rear of and alon side the horizontal seneci between the standard andhead of the gooseneck.

4. The combination with a sewing machine frame having a bed andgooseneck, together with the usual stitch-forming and feedingmechanisms, of a lighting device including an electric lamp-socket andlamp disposed horizontally closely in rear of and alongside thehorizontal member of the; gooseneck and well to the gooseneck side ofthe line of feed of the machine, and supporting means connecting saidsocket to said gooseneck adjacent the bend of the latter, saidsupporting means being disposed entirely within the rearwardly projectedeX- ternal outline of the gooseneck as viewed from the front of themachine.

5. A lighting attachment for sewing machines comprising a cover-plateadapted-to close the usual opening at the rear of a sewing machinebracket-arm, and an electric lighting socket directly mounted on saidcover-plate in close proximity to the atter, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

' 6. A lighting attachment for sewing machines comprising a cover-plateadapted to close the usual openingat the rear of a sewing machinebracket-arm, said plate be- 7 comprising,

ing formed with a lateral ear transverse to the plane of the plateproper, and an electric lighting socket secured to said ear in closeproximity to the latter, whereby, when the attachment is secured overthe opening in the sewing machine frame, the said socket and the lampcarried thereby will be located in rear of the horizontal portion of thesewing machine bracket-arm and well to one side of the vertical planethrough the line of feed of the machine.

7. A lighting device for sewing machines a support adapted forattachment to a sewing machine gooseneck adjacent the bend of the latterand having a horizontal aperture, an electric lamp-socket and lamp-bulbsubstantially in line with the axis of said aperture, and means fordirectly connecting said lamp-socket to said support, said connectingmeans including an element horizontally entering said aperture.

8. A lighting attachment for sewing machines comprismg, a cover-plateadapted to close the usual opening at the rear of a. sewing machinegooseneck, said plat-e being formed with a horizontally aperturedprojection transverse to the plane of the plate proper, an electriclamp-socket secured tosaid pro ection in close proximity to the latter,and securing means horizontally entering the aperture in saidprojection.

9. A lighting chines comprising, a sheet-metal cover-plate adapted toclose the usual opening at the rear of the sewing machine bracket-arm, astop-lug bent forwardly from the plane of the cover-plate proper at theedge of the latter, an ear bent rearwardly from the plane of said plateat the ed e of the latter, and an electric lighting soc et fixedlymounted upon and in close proximity to said ear.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my.

name to this specification;

FREDERICK DIEHL.

attachment for sewing ma-

